Hanahaki Disease (A Co-written Sonadow Story)
by Crystal Draculura Bloodsucker
Summary: When Sonic falls into a one-sided love story, he becomes a victim of a serious love disease called the Hanahaki Disease, an illness where his crush's favourite flower blooms in his lungs. The only way to get rid of it, is if his crush returns his feelings, otherwise the blue hedgehog may suffocate to death. What will become of the hero of Mobias? Will his crush be able to save him?
1. What Is The Hanahaki Disease?

**What Is The Hanahaki Disease?**

_The Hanahaki Disease is an illness born from unrequited love, where the patient's throat will fill up with flowers. They will then proceed to throw and cough up the petals, or sometimes even whole flowers. One of the only ways for the disease to 'disappear' is if the patient's crush returns the feelings of genuine love. The infection can also be removed through surgery, though the feelings disappear along with the petals. If they choose neither options, or the feeling is not returned in time, then the patient's lungs will fill up with flowers and will eventually suffocate.__There is no specific flower for the disease, but it'll either be the crush's favourite type of flower, or their favourite color. We can only hope for the patient, and pray that the crush's favourite flower isn't a type of rose.__If it is… death comes quicker as it blooms._


	2. Love Is A Dangerous Thing

**Chapter 1**

**Love Is A Dangerous Thing**

Sonic had woken up to the sounds of his alarm clock blaring loudly. He shut it off, and got up, did his morning stretches, and opened the window, looking out at the city with a big smile.

"Good morning Mobius!" He cheerfully yelled, as he ran downstairs, almost falling. He put his socks on, then went into the kitchen.

Tails had left him a plate of scrambled eggs and chili, and Sonic wolfed it down. He wrote Tails a thanks, put on his iconic shoes, and ran out the door. He took a deep whiff of the fresh summer air in, and exhaled.

"Man, do I love summer! The freedom, the chili dogs, and even the heat! I just love summer." He said, taking off. "Wooooo!"

He giggled as he felt the cold wind blow against him as he ran around. "I love being-" He was interrupted by an arm shot out in front of him.

It collided with his neck, and Sonic did a whole 360 before landing back first on the sidewalk.

"Ow! Listen here you!" Sonic said, standing up. He dusted himself off, and turned around, only to see Shadow chuckling.

"You practicing your clotheslines?" Sonic said, punching Shadow in the shoulder. Shadow stopped chuckling and pushed Sonic back.

"Maybe." The ebony hedgehog replied, sighing. "Sonic, your too happy. It's disgusting." Shadow stated, crossing his arms.

"Aw, c'mon Shads. Don't be such a party pooper! Besides, I'll never stop being happy! You wanna know why?" Sonic teased, poking Shadow's nose, which was followed by Shadow grunting.

"Yeah, sure." He mumbled, which earned a giggle from Sonic.

"It's because I'm Sonic! Sonic the-" He was cut off by Shadow smacking him.

He fell to the sidewalk, and held his hand over his cheek where he was slapped. He felt hurt for some reason, and he could feel the tears coming.

"Shut up." Shadow said, going back inside his house.

Sonic was confused.

Why did he feel this way all of a sudden? He used to feel nothing from this, and now here he was, crying. He ran home, and jumped onto his couch.

"What is wrong with me?!" Sonic cried out, before coming to a conclusion. "It can't be…..There's no way I love that stupid edgelord…."

**…**

It was about a few hours until Sonic felt better enough to go back outside. It was too beautiful to stay indoors. He walked back outside and the warm sunlight shined on his face.

If one looked closely enough, they could tell that the blue blur had been crying.

His eyes were puffy and red, and tear streaks stained his cheeks. He kept saying over and over to himself that he was NOT in love with Shadow. But the more he thought about it, the more he started to doubt it.

Just what was it about the black blur that he was drawn to anyway? Why did Sonic suddenly feel this way about him?

Sonic shook his head. He had no time to be worrying about that. It would only damper his mood even more.

So with that, Sonic ran off again, once again enjoying the cool breeze over his aerodynamic quills. He made sure he deliberately stayed as far away from Shadow's home as possible, not ready to deal with another slap to the face just because he was in a semi-good mood again. What was wrong with being in a good mood anyway? What was wrong with loving yourself?

The way Sonic saw it, if you don't love yourself, then you can't love anyone else either. It made him sad to think that way.

Sonic shook his head again, purging those thoughts from his mind. He didn't need to deal with that now.

Before he knew it, Sonic was in the city. He slowed down to a walk, hands clasped behind his back as he took in the sights and sounds of the city.

Things were always so exciting in the city. Something was always happening. That's one of the things Sonic loved so much about it. Don't get him wrong, he enjoys peace and tranquility as well, but the city had a fast pace to it, which the blue hedgehog could always keep up with.

Besides, the city of Station Square is where he grew up. It was his home, and no there's no place like home.

As he continued to walk, he passed by a flower shop. A flash of red and black from inside made the blue hedgehog stop, his curiosity peaked.

Sonic went up to the window of the shop and peered inside. He was surprised to see none other but Shadow standing in front of the cashier, checking out a bouquet of deep pink roses.

"Why would Shadow be buying roses?" He asked himself. "Does he have a secret lover or something?"

The thought of Shadow having a lover made a fire boil at the pit of Sonic's stomach. He knew he was jealous, but he couldn't let that show. It'd be weird and more than likely would just make Shadow even angrier at him.

After Shadow had paid for the roses, he took the bouquet and turned to leave the shop. Not wanting to get caught, Sonic quickly ducked to the side of the building, watching the ebony hedgehog leave from the crack between the flower shop and the coffee shop.

Nobody seemed to notice or care that the usually dark and edgy hedgie was carrying roses. It was like he has done this before. The thought made Sonic lowly growl.

If Shadow had a lover, he was gonna find out who it was… just to make sure they were worthy enough for the ebony hedgehog. After all, Shadow could be a piece of work. One would have to be patient with him and be willing to understand him. Those were the requirements Sonic was looking for in any of Shadow's future lovers.

Keeping at least a 20 feet distance from Shadow, Sonic quietly followed the ebony through the city. He kept his eyes out on him, not wanting to lose him through the crowd. If he lost him, it would be game over, and he'd never find out who the flowers were for.

Eventually, Shadow's path took them out of the city and into the more rural area. This is where Sonic had to be stealthy, hiding behind trees and bushes so he wouldn't get caught.

"Geez, how far does this chick live?" He asked himself.

He was surprised, however, when Shadow suddenly turned off and began climbing up a hill with an overhang that was perfect for watching the sunset.

"Maybe he's meeting her up there."

Quietly, Sonic followed the dark one up the hill. When they got to the top, Sonic stopped in his tracks, surprised for a third time that day.

Over by the overhang, was a tombstone. It was cracked with age, but looked well cared for. Dead roses and vines surrounded the slab of stone, which Shadow slowly approached and cleaned the dead plantation away, replacing the dead roses with the new bouquet he just bought. He stood straight, staring down at the grave with his hands clasped in front of him, not moving a single muscle, or breathing a single word.

Curiosity got the better of the blue hedgehog, and he slowly and quietly approached, trying not to alert the ebony hedgehog as he tried to get a closer look at the tombstone. When he could finally see the inscriptions, he gave a silent gasp.

_Maria Robotnik_

_Granddaughter and best friend_

_She loved this planet_

_She will be dearly missed_

_by all who love her_

Tears came to Sonic's eyes for a second time that day.

How long has this been here?

How long has Shadow been visiting this gravesite?

And how often?

"I know you're here, hedgehog." Shadow suddenly sighed, making Sonic jump. "Why don't you stop hiding and just come stand beside me… I could use the company right now."

That confession was all it took.

Sonic approached the ebony hedgehog and stood beside him, staring down at the tombstone in silence. He looked over to Shadow and sadly frowned when he saw the few hints of tears in his eyes.

"Are you ok?" He asked him.

Shadow gave a sigh and closed his eyes, refusing to let his tears fall.

"I'm fine." He answered. "This isn't the first time I've visited this place."

"I figured." Sonic nodded. "How long has this been here?"

"Since we defeated the Black Comet." Shadow answered. "I… wanted to do something in her memory, in case I lose mine again."

"You won't, Shadow." Sonic quickly assured him. "But it's a nice gesture anyway. I'm sure she'd be happy to know that she has a place on this Earth."

"You think so?"

"I know so, Shads. The way you talk about her and much she loved this planet, I think that's all she wanted. Was a place here."

"... Yeah… you're probably right." Shadow sighed and turned to look at his blue rival. "Look I'm… sorry for hitting you this morning. I just… was in a bad mood because I knew I would be coming here today. After all, today is the anniversary of her death."

"It's ok, Shadow, I understand." Sonic nodded.

"How long have you been following me anyway?"

"Eh…" Sonic blushed sheepishly. "Since I saw you in the flower shop. To be honest, I thought you were buying those roses for a secret lover of yours or something."

"So you decided to follow me?" Shadow smirked. "Why? You jealous, hedgehog?"

"Ha! You wish." Sonic quickly denied. There was no way he could let Shadow know that he clearly was. "I just didn't take you to be the romantic type."

"Hmph, well, as you can see now, I don't have a secret lover." Shadow huffed, crossing his arms over his chest fluff. "I was just buying the American Beauties to replace the dead ones."

"American Beauties?" Sonic asked curiously.

"Yes, hedgehog. They're Maria and I's favorite flowers. The vibrant hot pink color. The softness of their petals. Their sweet scent. And they make a wonderful rose tea. What's not to love about them?"

"I see your point." Sonic chuckled.

Shadow chuckled too and then sighed again, uncrossing his arms as he stared down at the tombstone. "Do you think she's proud of me?"

"Of course she's proud of you, Shadow. Why wouldn't she?" Sonic asked, concern.

"It's just… I've broken my promise to her twice already. I'm supposed to protect and keep the people here happy. Give them a chance at happy lives. But twice already I have done evil to this world. That's not what Maria wanted from me at all. So I'm just wondering, how can she possibly be proud of me?"

"Now Shadow, that's enough." Sonic said sternly. "I don't wanna hear that kind of talk coming from you. What you did is not your fault. You lost your memories in both of those times, and you were just trying to get them back. You were being manipulated, by Eggman, and then by Black Doom. You knew no better than when a toddler knows no better than to repeat a curse heard from their parents."

"You're comparing me to a toddler?" Shadow frowned.

"Yes Shadow, because you're still learning. You're still growing accustomed to this world. A lot has changed over the 50 plus years, and you're still getting used to it. Nothing you do is entirely your fault Shads. And those times when you were playing evil, those weren't your fault either. I know that and Maria knows that. What matters now is that you continue holding onto your promise to her. As long as you know what it is, you'll never break it. That's why I think she's proud of you. After all…" Sonic sighed and gently took Shadow's hand into his own. "I'm proud of you."

A deafening silence stood between them as Sonic waited for Shadow's reaction. He hoped that Shadow would take his words to heart and realize that he's right. He didn't want to see the ebony sad any longer.

Finally, Shadow closed his eyes and gave a small smile, gently squeezing Sonic's hand in his own, showing his appreciation.

"Thank you, Sonic." He said in a soft voice. "I needed that. You're a good friend."

Ah, friendzoned!

"Any time, Shadow." Sonic smiled back.

And for the next few minutes, the two hedgehogs just stood there, staring off into the beautiful sunset, hands still interlinked.

When the sun had fully set, Shadow was the one to let go and walk away.

"Shads?" Sonic questioned curiously.

"Thank you for being here with me, hedgehog." Shadow said to him. "I appreciated it, but… don't think that this changes anything between us."

Sonic felt his heart shatter as he said that.

After all of this, they were still rivals?

Didn't Shadow just call him a friend a few minutes ago?!

"I won't." He answered sadly as the ebony hedgehog walked away.

Sonic was heartbroken.

Not only was he friendzoned, but he was RIVALzoned.

Could this get any worse?!

Suddenly, Sonic started to feel a slight pressure on his lungs and he started coughing. As it got worse, he stuck his hand over his mouth, trying to block it. He felt something coming up from his throat, sticking to his esophagus as he continued to cough.

After a few minutes of coughing his lungs dry, he finally stopped. The pressure in his lungs were gone, and wherever was in his throat was now in his hand.

Curious to know what it was, Sonic pulled his hand back and stared in shock.

There, in the middle of his palm, coated in his saliva and bile acid, were three hot pink petals of an American Beauty Rose.


	3. A Song In My Heart

**Chapter 2**

**A Song In My Heart**

Sonic laid in his bed on top of his covers, the lamp on his bedside table being his only source of light. With his azure blue quills fanned out behind him, he stared up with confused emerald eyes at the objects in his hands.

Petals.

Hot pink petals that belonged to an American Beauty Rose… Shadow's favorite flower.

Why in the world were these petals coming up from Sonic's throat? He didn't understand it. And the fact that it happened so suddenly, right when Shadow left him alone on that overhang, right by Maria's grave… did his crush have a certain significance to this?

Sonic sighed as he dropped his hand over the side of his bed, dropping the petals to the floor. His mind began to wander back to that moment on the overhang, his hand in Shadow's, gently being squeezed in appreciation. The beautiful sunset shining over the horizon, the light catching on the black fur, making the crimson spikes shine just right. The way his eyes glazed over and glowed with that faraway look.

Sonic's cheeks began to feel hot. He knew he was blushing. The moment was so peaceful, so beautiful, and he was glad he got to share it with Shadow.

He sighed again, his ears flattening against his head as he recalled Shadow's words as he left.

"This doesn't change anything."

Of course it wouldn't. Why would it when it's quite obvious Shadow wants nothing more but to be rivals?

Not even friends, just… rivals.

Why did he always want to fight all the time?

Why wasn't Sonic allowed to get closer to him?

As he lay on his bed, glaring at his ceiling, Sonic took a breath and began to sing.

_You know I'm not one to break promises._

_I don't want to hurt you but I need to breathe._

_At the end of it all you're still my best friend._

_But there's something inside that I need to release._

As he sang, he began to think to himself. When he was still growing up with his parents, they always told him that being gay was wrong. They were old school like that.

Of course, he never agreed with them, but now that he had a crush on Shadow, he couldn't tell if this was right or wrong, especially when it was obvious Shadow would never return his feelings.

_Which way is right?_

_Which way is wrong?_

_How do I say that I need to move on?_

_You know we're heading separate ways._

Suddenly, Sonic frowned.

He shot up in his bed, sitting up and staring into the mirror that stood across from him. He stared at his own reflection, wondering just exactly what he should do.

_And it feels like I am just too close to love you._

_There's nothing I can really say._

_I can lie no more._

_I can hide no more._

_Got to be true to myself._

_And it feels like I am just too close to love you._

_So I'll be on my way._

Before he could start the next verse, Sonic started coughing again.

He coughed and he hacked violently, barely being able to get a breath in.

His hands shot to his mouth and he jumped out of bed, dashing to the bathroom.

He kneeled by the toilet and lifted the lid up, quickly sticking his face over it as he continued to cough into the bowl.

Tears came from the sides of his eyes as he retched, squeezing his eyes shut tight as he waited for it to be over.

Finally, after about 10 minutes, his coughing stopped and he relaxed, sitting on the back of his heels as he laid his forehead against the cold seat, trying to catch his breath.

After another five minutes, he finally lifted his head and looked into the bowl, squeaking in surprise.

More petals.

"What the heck is wrong with me?!" He wondered aloud to himself.

Suddenly, Sonic heard his phone going off in his room. He sighed as he stood up, flushing the toilet before going back to his room. He picked up his phone from his bedside table and opened it, discovering he got a group invite from Rouge. Frowning a bit in confusion, Sonic opened the invite, only to see a single message from the bat.

_Rouge: Hey everybody, just letting you know I'm having a party at the club tomorrow. Attire is casual and it starts at 8 and will last until midnight. Drinks and snacks will be on me, and don't worry, there will be juice for the little ones. Hope to see you all there!_

Sonic pondered this for a moment. As much as he enjoyed parties, after the day he's had today, he kinda just wanted to stay in and sulk. Still though, if he did so, everybody would be wondering if something was wrong with him, and he didn't want to give them that impression.

Plus, if Rouge was hosting, then Shadow would definitely be there. She never lets him skip out on anything she plans.

Even if it was clear Shadow didn't want anything more with him, Sonic was still determined to win his heart.

Sonic coughed again, more rose petals flying from his mouth. The blue hedgehog groaned.

Hopefully, someone at the party would know what's going on.

_Sonic: I'll be there! ;)_

**…**

The next day, after Sonic went on his usual run, he hopped onto his laptop and began his search.

All day, every time his mind wandered off to Shadow he would cough up more petals. He was lucky nobody else saw him otherwise questions that he has no answer to might've been asked.

He went onto Mobias KnowsMore and typed in anything that came to his mind involving his new problem.

_Coughing up flowers__Thinking about crush and coughing up flowers__Why am I coughing up flowers__Flower disease_

He got multiple results, but none specified what could be wrong with him. He also noticed that a few links wouldn't work when he clicked on them… almost as if they've been taken down.

Sonic sighed and closed his laptop, knowing he wasn't gonna get any answers.

His only hope was that somebody at the party tonight knew what was wrong.

He would have to be discreet about it though.

He was Sonic the Hedgehog.

He wasn't supposed to be sick.

**…**

The party was just as expected.

Music, snacks, drinks, and a bustle of friends chatting idly with each other.

Sonic and Tails had both showed up at 8:30, joining a little late, but it was no big deal.

To Sonic's delight, Shadow was there too, as expected, but he was being a bit of a wallflower, a red solo cup in his hand as he watched the activity around him, lightly tapping his foot against the wall in beat to the music.

"I'm gonna go mingle around, Tails." Sonic informed his little buddy, secretly planning to talk to Shadow instead. "You good on your own?"

"Oh sure, I'll be fine." Tails nodded, a red solo cup of apple juice in his hand. "I'll just keep talking to Knuckles."

Sonic nodded and grabbed his cup of rum and cola and discreetly made his way towards Shadow.

The black and red hedgehog heard footsteps approaching him and he turned his head to see Sonic walking towards him.

"What do you want, Faker?" He huffed irritably, sipping on his tequila.

Sonic was a bit taken aback, and he felt another urge to cough, but he forced it down and shook his head. "Nothing, I just wanted to ask how you were feeling… after… well…"

Shadow gave a low sigh and nodded in understanding. "I'm fine, Faker. Like I said, it's not the first time I visited her grave."

"But it is the first time you had someone there to comfort you, right?"

The ebony hedgehog fell silent, relishing on the question. After all, Sonic was right.

"I'll admit the comfort was… nice… hedgehog." Shadow nodded. "But do not expect me to let it happen often. I don't need your comfort."

'No, but I definitely could use yours.' Sonic mentally sighed, feeling saddened all of a sudden, and another urge to cough. He tried to chase it down with his drink, but the petals still came up.

Shadow showed slight concern as Sonic violently coughed into his hand. The blue hedgehog was keeping his mouth covered, concealing the rose petals from view.

"Are you alright, hedgehog?" Shadow asked him, lightly patting on the blue one's back until he had stopped coughing.

"Y-yes, I'm fine." Sonic gave one more cough before balling his fist to his side, hiding the petals. "My drink just went down the wrong tube, is all."

"Ah." Shadow nodded as he leaned back against the wall. "Perhaps you should drink a little slower, hedgehog."

"R-right." Sonic nodded, then smiled. "So uh… have you heard anything about someone coughing up flower petals before?"

At this Shadow paused, giving him a confused stare. "I beg your pardon?"

"Yeah, I know, weird right?" Sonic chuckled. "Some guy was feeling just fine one moment, and then the next, he's coughing and spitting up flower petals. Ever heard of something like that?"

"I find that very hard to believe, Faker." The black one answered with a dead-panned stare. "If something like that was actually possible, there would be a record of it."

"Maybe this is a first occurrence." Sonic shrugged. "Like when MASA discovered a sister planet identical to our own."

"... I guess." Shadow shrugged, taking another sip of his drink. "But what would cause such a strange illness?"

"Beats me, doesn't say." Sonic shook his head, lightly swirling his cup around to mix the rum and cola. "I just find it really bizarre."

"Bizarre indeed."

"SONIC!"

Sonic groaned lightly at the voice calling to him, knowing exactly who it was. He turned around to see Amy skipping up to him.

"What do you want, Amy?" He asked her, maybe a little rudely, but he was having a nice conversation with Shadow just now.

"Rouge is starting to set up the karaoke machine." The pink hedgehog explained, completely ignoring his annoyance. "I want you to come sing with me."

"Uh, I don't know Ames." Sonic shook his head, a little bashfully. "I usually sing for myself, not for an entire crowd."

"You sing?" Shadow raised an eyeridge at him in interest.

"I… dabble a little bit." Sonic blushed sheepishly.

"Dabble? Come on Sonic, I've heard you sing before." Amy beamed. "You're really good."

"I'm not that good."

"That remains to be seen." Shadow smirked. "You've caught my interest, why don't you go up there?"

"R-really?" Sonic asked a little astonished. "You really wanna hear me sing?"

"Sure, why not?" Shadow chuckled. "Should be interesting."

"Wwell…" Sonic pondered it for a bit. If he could pick a type of upbeat romancey song, then he felt he could tell Shadow about his feelings without really telling him. Hopefully, he would get the message… and wouldn't get angry at the same time. "Ok, I'll do it."

"Yay!" Amy jumped with joy, clapping her hands excitedly. "I'll go tell Rouge."

"Anything in particular you're gonna sing, Faker?" Shadow asked him as Amy left.

"I don't know." Sonic shrugged his shoulders, taking another quick sip of his drink. "I guess I'll figure it out when I get up there."

"Alright, it's set!" Amy cried happily as she came running back over, quickly grabbing Sonic's arm, pulling on it. The action had cause Sonic to drop the flower petals that he was hiding in his fist. He severely hoped Shadow wouldn't notice. "Rouge is announcing us right now!"

"Better get going, Faker, this should be interesting."

"Heh, yeah." Sonic chuckled nervously as he allowed himself to be pulled onto stage.

"There you two are." Rouge huffed playfully, holding a CD case. "So, which song are you two gonna sing?"

"Do you mind if I pick, Amy?" Sonic quickly offered. "I promise it won't be anything bad."

"Well, ok Sonic." Amy agreed. "I know it's your first time singing for a crowd, so I guess it's only fair."

"Thanks Ames." Sonic smiled before taking the CD case and looking through the different karaoke songs. He smiled when he thought he found the perfect one. "Let's go with _Clarity_ by ZEDD. That ok, Ames?"

"Ooh, good choice, Sonic." Amy agreed. "I'll let you take the lead and I'll join in the chorus."

"Sounds good to me." Sonic nodded.

"Alright then. Here are your mics." Rouge grinned, handing each hedgehog a microphone. "And I'll go set this up."

As Rouge left the stage to put the song in, Sonic forced himself to take a deep calming breath, his focus turning to the crowd. Almost everybody was watching the stage, curious to hear their hero sing for the first time. Their stares didn't matter to him though, as he only had eyes for the ruby ones in the back who was staring at him with interest. And then, all of a sudden, the music started.

Sonic took a gulp and started to sing.

_High dive into frozen waves where the past comes back to life._

_Fight fear for the selfish pain, it was worth it every time._

_Hold still right before we crash 'cause we both know how this ends._

_A clock ticks 'til it breaks your glass and I drown in you again._

At this next verse, Sonic discreetly turned his eyes to look directly at Shadow, realizing in his heart that it matched his suffering at the moment.

_'Cause you are the piece of me, I wish I didn't need._

_Chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why._

And then, Amy joined in for the chorus, but Sonic paid no attention to her, his focus clearly on the hedgehog in the back.

_If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?_

_If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?_

And then suddenly, the entire beat dropped, along with a flashy disco ball that suddenly descended from the ceiling. Sonic could help but smile as everyone suddenly started dancing. He turned his head to Shadow, and was pleased to see that even he was smiling a bit, nodding his head to the beat as he continued to watch the hedgehogs stage as they sang the chorus again.

_If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?_

_If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?_

And then it was Sonic's solo again. As he sang, he never took his eyes off of Shadow.

_Walk on through a red parade and refuse to make amends._

_It cuts deep through our ground and makes us forget all common sense._

_Don't speak as I try to leave 'cause we both know what we'll choose._

_If you pull then I'll push too deep and I'll fall right back to you._

As he sang, Sonic directly looked into Shadow's eyes, trying to help him get the message.

_'Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn't need._

_Chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why._

_If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?_

_If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?_

As Sonic sang this bit looking into his eyes, Shadow seemed to finally get the message.

The black and red hedgehog blushed a bit under a low growl, quickly turning his head away, closing his eyes and avoiding Sonic's gaze. He wasn't even dancing to the music anymore, gone completely still.

That's when Sonic knew, he had took it too far.

Before he could open his mouth to sing again, he felt his chest compress all of a sudden. His eyes opened wide as he suddenly started coughing violently, making strangled noises as he tried to breathe.

The music went down and people stared in horror as their hero suddenly had a coughing fit. Even Shadow was now looking in concern.

"Sonic, are you alright?" Amy asked in a worried tone, coming up to his side and patting his back.

Sonic, however, couldn't answer, his coughing and retching too violent for him to get a word out. He dropped the microphone to the floor, sending a little feedback through the speakers as he soon followed it, his palms flat on the floor as he tried to force his body to breathe.

And then, he felt them coming up.

'No no no, not now!' He mentally screamed to himself. 'Not in front of everybody, especially Shadow!'

But his mental cries went unheard, and out of his mouth, the petals came flying.

The crowd gasped as they witnessed this, never before seeing something so strange.

Shadow himself, was the most shocked.

Wasn't Sonic just speaking to him about coughing up petals earlier?

It was a full 10 minutes before Sonic finally stopped coughing, and by then, there was a whole pile of rose petals beneath his face, covered in saliva. He took a deep breath and slowly stood up, lifting his head to look at all of his friends.

Every single one of them were staring at him, in shock, horror, and even some in disgust.

Even Amy had backed off from him, her mouth gaping like a fish.

Sonic slowly turned to look at Shadow, his ears dropping at the sight.

Shadow was holding one of the petals that Sonic had dropped when Amy had pulled on him. The ebony hedgehog stared at it, studying it closely before his eyeridges raised in realization. He looked at Sonic with a questioning gaze, and the blue hedgehog knew that he had figured out that they were the petals to his favorite rose.

Hurt and embarrassed, Sonic ran off the stage and left the whole party, running all the way back home, ignoring the cries of concern from the friends who tried to stop him.


	4. Conflicted Feelings

**Chapter 3**

**Conflicted Feelings**

Sonic laid in his bed, sobbing his heart out into his pillow.

He couldn't believe that just happened.

All of his friends, watching him and his coughing fit, displaying his bizarre illness.

Worst of all, Shadow had seen it! He knew something was wrong with Sonic now, and after seeing that the petals were from his favorite rose, he must be suspicious by now that it had something to do with him.

But… did it really?

A gentle knock came from his locked door. He sniffed, wiping at his eyes as he glared at the door. He didn't want to be bothered right now.

"Go away."

"Sonic, it's Tails. Please open the door."

"I said go away. I don't want to be bothered right now."

There was silence on the other side and Sonic sighed, laying back down in his bed. Maybe if he just went to sleep he'll wake up in the morning and this would all just be a bad dream. Wishful thinking, but it was worth a shot.

Just as he was about to close his eyes, another knock came from his door. Sonic growled and glared at the door.

"I said go away, Tails!"

"Not Tails."

Sonic felt his whole body stiffen.

What was Shadow doing here?!

"What are you doing here?"

"I just want to talk. Can you open the door, Sonic?"

Sonic was flabbergasted. Shadow actually came to talk to him? His voice sounded genuine, but he wasn't sure if he should trust it. Shadow made it very clear that they weren't friends, so what would he want to talk about?

"Please open the door Sonic. I won't ask again."

"What will you do if I don't?" Sonic frowned.

"I'll Chaos Control in myself. I would've done it earlier, but I thought I should give you a benefit of doubt."

Sonic sighed. Knowing Shadow wasn't one to go back on his word, he stood up and went over to the door and unlocked it. Once he did, he went back to his bed and laid down, his back facing the door. He heard the door open and close softly, but he didn't turn around. He felt a weight softly sit onto his bed and he still didn't turn to look. There was silence, until Shadow spoke.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sonic, talk to me."

"What do you care?"

"Because I remember two days ago, you comforted me when I was in my most depressive state. I thought I should do the same for you, but if you don't want it I'll just get up and leave now."

"... I feel like a total idiot." Sonic sniffed. "I made a complete fool of myself. I was stupid to come to the party and not think my illness was going to show itself."

"The petals? Yes, that was pretty dumb." When Sonic didn't say anything, Shadow sighed. "Sorry, that's not helping." Shadow then looked down to the floor and his ears perked up.

On the floor by the bed, more petals were piled around. He reached down and picked up one of the American Beauties and held it between his fingers, inspecting it carefully. It was still slightly wet from Sonic's saliva and bile acid, but he didn't care. Something so bizarre like this intrigued him, and he wanted to understand it. "You know, for the record, before your coughing fit interrupted you… you weren't half bad."

"... You really mean it?" Sonic slightly turned to look at him, his eyes still red and raw from the tears.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it, Sonic."

Sonic blushed and looked away with a smile. "Thanks Shadow. That means a lot to me."

"My question is, why these petals?" Shadow asked, looking at the blue hedgehog with suspicious eyes. "These are from the American Beauty rose, which we both know is my favorite. So why these?"

"... I don't know." Sonic answered truthfully. "It started two days ago, after you left me alone by…" he couldn't finish, but the ebony got the idea.

"What? Did you eat the roses that were there?" He half joked.

Sonic rolled his eyes. "No. Of course not. Besides. If I had, they would go to my stomach. Not my lungs."

"Yes, fair point."

Sonic sighed. "I wish I knew, Shadow. I really wish I knew."

"Well, you're not coughing now. I'd take that as a good sign."

Sonic wasn't sure if he should mention that he only started coughing when he was thinking about Shadow.

"Now I have another question for you."

"What Shadow?"

"Why did you keep staring at me when you were singing?"

Sonic fell quiet, unsure how to answer. He knew why, but he didn't think Shadow would appreciate it very much. Especially how he reacted at the party when he seemed to get the general idea.

"Faker." Shadow said with a warning tone. "I won't ask again."

Tears started coming to the blue hedgehog's eyes. "I… I don't know." He sobbed into his pillow. "I really really don't know."

"You do know, hedgehog, you just won't tell me." Shadow snapped. "I may have an idea, but I want to hear it from your mouth to confirm it."

"Why?!" Sonic snapped, quickly sitting up and glaring at him with his tearfilled eyes. "So that you can have another excuse to hate me?! Just because I have a crush on you?! Well there! You happy?! I admit it! I like you Shadow! More than a friend! But it doesn't matter because clearly according to you, we're not even friends! So what's the point on telling you that?! Here to comfort me?! Yeah right! More like here to interrogate me! You get an F on your so-called comfort!"

Shadow was shocked. He's never seen Sonic so upset like this. Perhaps he has crossed that invisible line. Sonic shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I want you out. Now."

"Sonic… I…"

"OUT!"

With nothing else to say, Shadow stood up from Sonic's bed and calmly left the room, closing the door softly behind him. Sonic glared at the door for a few good minutes, daring the ebony hedgehog to come back in. After about 15 minutes, Sonic's chest started to hurt, but it wasn't a cough. It was more like his heart was breaking. He was suddenly starting to regret kicking Shadow out, and he silently pleaded for him to come back.

After half an hour, when it was clear Shadow wasn't coming back, Sonic fell against his pillow and started crying and coughing all over again.

It hurt. His heart. It hurt so much. He couldn't take it. There had to be a way to get rid of this pain.

The heartbroken hedgehog slightly turned his head to his bedside dresser and gasped. Something was on his dresser.

Something… shiny… and sharp.

Driven by a dark force, the azure hedgehog slowly sat up and reached for the letter opener meant for fan mail. His fingers closed around the cold metal as he gingerly picked it up. He ran his finger over the blade, sharpened enough to cut his glove to threads.

With a dark, saddened mind, he brought the blade up to his wrist, placed it against the skin and…

SLASH

The dark red liquid oozed from the wound, not deep enough to kill him, but enough for him to feel the sting. The blood dripped from his hand and onto the bed, dripping like raindrops. A nice thin coat of red covered the blade of the letter opener, and Sonic himself, could only stare at the blood coming from his own body.

This pain… this high… it almost made him forget.

He brought the blade back up, right above the first cut.

SLASH

The hedgehog gasped as he felt more pain, his tickling high getting stronger. He was almost there. He could feel it.

SLASH

A third cut went above the second, and that was all he needed.

Sonic's eyelids lowered into a blissful state as all he could focus on was the pain in his forearm and the high feeling he was getting from the blood leaving his veins. His forearm and hand was soaked in blood, dripping onto the bedsheets and ruining them, but he didn't care. He was too high to care.

He wanted more.

Just as he was about to put another cut into his arm, a knock came from his unlocked door and it opened.

It was Tails. He had a phone in his hand.

"Sonic, I just called an appointment for you to see a doctor about your… OH SWEET LORD CHAOS WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"


	5. A Witch's Diagnosis

**Chapter 4**

**A Witch's Diagnoses**

Sonic sat silently on the examination table, the thin sheet of paper crinkling softly underneath him as he hung his head sadly, absentmindedly rubbing on the bandages on his arm. Tails sat in a chair across from him, his arms crossed over his chest and his head turned away, refusing to look at Sonic. The blue knew that his little brother was mad at him, and he had every right to be.

What was he thinking? Cutting himself? Was he stupid? What if he had went too deep? What if he had cut an artery? What if Tails hadn't come in? Would he have kept going until he was nothing but cuts and blood?

… Absolutely.

"T-Tails…" Sonic started, his voice trembling. "... I'm sorry."

The two-tailed fox didn't say anything, his view still on the door where the doctor had just left moments before. There wasn't even a single twitch of his ear to let the hedgehog know that he had been heard. For some reason, that hurt the worst.

Tears filled Sonic's eyes. He tried to stay silent, tried to keep them from falling, but after all he had been keeping in he was losing quickly. He shut his eyes and sobbed softly, hanging his head as the drops of saltwater fell onto the floor between his legs, a few dropping onto his knees and thighs. He stayed like that until he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and someone sitting next to him. He looked up through his blurry-eyed vision to see Tails sitting beside him, looking at him with sadness and concern. Sonic sniffed and wiped his own tears away as best he could. "I'm sorry."

"Why did you do it, Sonic?" Tails asked, shaking his head. "What gave you such an idea?"

"That's the thing. I don't know." Sonic sobbed lightly in truth, more tears rolling down his cheeks. "It just hurt so much. I wanted something to take the pain away. I-I-I thought… that… oh Tails I'm so sorry. I'm an idiot!"

"Shh." The fox hushed, gently pulling his older brother into a warm embrace, rubbing his back lightly as he allowed the hedgehog to sob into his shoulder. "It's ok. It's ok. I'm here. I'm here."

Sonic continued to cry into his brother's shoulder for a few minutes. His thoughts started turning to Shadow, wondering what he would say if he found out that Sonic had cut himself over him. He'd probably be pissed off, completely disappointed in him.

Just the mere thought of it got Sonic coughing again, the petals flying out of his mouth. Tails comfortingly patted his back until he stopped coughing, sitting up and slowly calming down. The hedgehog wiped at his eyes while the fox brushed the petals off himself. "I forgive you, Sonic. I understand that you're hurting. I wish you would tell me why, but I know I can't force you to tell me anything. Just promise me one thing."

Sonic looked up at Tails expectantly.

"Promise me you'll never do it again."

Sonic wiped at his face and nodded. "I promise Tails. I won't do it again."

"Good."

At that moment, the doctor came in with a clipboard in hand. He looked disturbed, but at the same time, knowing.

"Sonic the Hedgehog," He started. "I got the results of your x-ray back."

"Give it to me straight, doctor." Sonic pleaded. "Why am I coughing up petals?"

"Well, it's just as I thought. You have a bunch of American Beauty Roses growing in your lungs. Most are just buds right now, but a small percentage have started to sprout, resulting in the petals you cough up."

"But why, doctor?" Tails asked. "How did he get roses in his lungs? And is there a way to remove them? Through surgery, perhaps?"

Sonic gulped. For some reason, the idea of surgically removing the roses was unappealing, and a bit hurtful.

The doctor nodded. "I could surgically remove the roses, but before you make any decisions, I suggest you see an old friend of mine. She will tell you the reason for your roses, for I myself don't really know. She just told me that if any of my patients have flowers growing in their lungs to send them her way."

"How many patients have you had with flowers in their lungs?" Sonic asked.

"About five. And each one I only saw again with a new spouse for some reason."

'_Great. Is this some cliche true love's kiss will break the spell gig?_' Sonic sighed. "Alright. Who is this friend of yours?"

"She's on the other side of town, lives in the forest." The doctor explained, drawing out a map and handing it to him. "Follow this map and you will find her."

"You can't be serious about this, Sonic." Tails frowned in disapproval as the hedgehog took the map.

"I've gotta try, Tails." Sonic nodded as he studied the map. "I need to know why this is happening to me. And if she can help me, then what do I got to loose?"

**…**

It was late in the night in the dark, misty forest.

Sonic and Tails had just left the hospital, with the map in hand. Their fur stood on end as they followed the doctor's marks through the foggy darkness, trying to find this woman he recommended.

"Why would she be out here anyway?" Tails grumbled, coughing a bit as he got some leaves in his mouth from a branch snapping back at him. "What, is she some kind of Witch Doctor?!"

"With the kind of illness I've got, I wouldn't be surprised." Sonic nodded. "It says here that she lives in a big hollowed out tree. It shouldn't be too hard to find. We just gotta look for the biggest tree."

A wolf's howl got the two jumping out of their skins.

"Preferably soon!" Tails yelp. He looked at Sonic. "But how are we supposed to find anything in this fog?"

"I guess we start feeling around?" Sonic guessed. He earned an eyeroll from his brother.

"Yeah, cause that's a brilliant idea. Let's not worry about touching poison ivy or thorns or anything else that might cause us harm."

"You got any better ideas?"

"How about we try looking for a light instead?" Tails suggested cooly, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm pretty sure that'll be more effective."

"Or maybe I can just blow away all this fog with a tornado spin!" Sonic beamed cockily.

"Sonic, no..!" Tails started, but his warning fell on deaf ears as Sonic revved his legs up and began running in a large circle, trying to pull the fog into one secluded area. "You're gonna run into something."

"Don't worry Tails! I got it all under contro-!" Sonic started with a cocky smile until he was suddenly interrupted when he ran smack dab into a large tree, it was a miracle he didn't break his nose. "Ow…"

"I told you you were gonna run into something." Tails shook his head as he went up to Sonic and peeled him off the tree. "But because of that, you managed to find the tree!"

"Oh goody." Sonic said, a bit dazed from the hit until he shook his head, getting his eyes focused again. He then looked up at the tree. "Whoa."

The tree was an abnormally large red oak, made into a home. It was completely hollowed out, a few holes carved out to make windows. A gentle yellow glow flowed through from the inside. There was a door leading to the inside, a couple of voodoo masks decorating around it. "I think you may be right, Tails. It's the home of a Witch Doctor."

"I-it's not too late to t-turn around." Tails stuttered with a hint of fear in his voice.

"I can go back, Tails." Sonic said to him, a bit of desperation in his voice. "I have to know why I have roses in my lungs… and why I only cough when I think of Shadow…" he said that last part quietly to himself. "And if she can help me, well then what do I got to lose?"

"Your life."

"She's a Witch Doctor, Tails, not a serial killer." The blue hedgehog sighed and went up to the door. "I've gotta try." And with the courage of ten hedgehogs, he brought his hand up and knocked on the door.

About a minute later, the door suddenly opened inward. In the doorway stood a young and rather peculiar woman.

She was an African American human with a full head of long black dreadlocks. She was wearing a long green dress made entirely out of satin and silk. She was barefoot and had white tribal markings painted on her face and her body. A golden necklace with a golden skull, a tiny fang bone on each side, laid upon her chest, right between her bosom. Her nails were painted black, and she had black lipstick on her lips. Her dark brown eyes were filled with wonder and wisdom as she stared down at the two Mobians.

"Can I help you?" She said in a silky soft voice.

Sonic gave a nervous cough to clear his throat, his voice having gotten away from him for a moment. "Um, my name is Sonic and this is my brother Tails."

"I know who you are."

Sonic could feel a bit of heat rushing to his cheeks. "Um, we were sent here by a friend of yours, Dr. James? He said that you can help me."

At the mention of the doctor's name, the woman gave a soft smile and moved aside, allowing some room for Sonic and Tails to walk through. "Of course, come right on in."

"Thank you." Sonic nodded as he and Tails walked into the Witch Doctor's home.

Upon first glance, their breath was taken away.

The inside was much larger than it looked from the outside. The tree was hollowed out to create three little rooms. When you first walk in, the first thing you see is a couple of voodoo masks and strange pouches hanging from the ceiling. Shelves full of potions and powders were aligned around the room, and in the very center was a cauldron, bubbling softly as a low fire burned underneath it.

To the left of the room, there was an entryway to a modest kitchen, and then to the right was a small bedroom with only a single bed.

The smell of medical herbs and spices brought life and energy to the two Mobians, and they were more curious than ever to know how she can help Sonic.

"My name is Rachel, the Witch Doctor of Mobias." The woman explained as she closed the door and went over to her boiling pot, picking up a large wooden staff and sticking it into the bubbling purple mixture, stirring it slowly. "Now, how can I help you?"

Sonic was nervous. It was hard enough to explain his illness to Dr. James, afraid he may not believe him. But will this Rachel woman be any different.

Tails nugded Sonic roughly, encouraging him to speak up.

"Um, well…" Sonic cleared his throat. "Well, I seem to have caught… a strange illness."

"Please explain."

"Well, for the past three days now, I've been… I've been coughing and throwing up flower petals. We went to see Dr. James, and he took an x-ray, and he said that I rose buds growing in my lungs."

At the mention of rose buds, Rachel seemed to pale. Sonic thought it was only his imagination, as a second later, she smiled kindly at him.

"I see. And do you, Sonic, have a crush on somebody."

"W-what?!" Sonic squeaked, his face burning red. "Th-that's a little personal, don't you think?"

"But, it is necessary to ask." Rachel nodded. "So, I will ask again. Do you have a crush on somebody."

Sonic blushed and looked away sheepishly, backing up a bit as he shyly hugged himself. "Y-yes… I do."

"But what does that matter?" Tails frowned in confusion.

"Because my little fox, what Sonic has is called the Hanahaki Disease, or more commonly known as the Flower Disease."

"Hanahaki Disease?" Sonic questioned. "What's that?"

"It is when a patient falls in love with another, but it is one-sided." Rachel explained, stopping her stirring to look directly at the hedgehog. "If the patient's crush does not feel the same towards them, the patient will begin to cough and throw up flower petals. Usually, the petals will belong to the crush's favorite flower or their favorite color."

"How do you get rid of it?" Tails asked.

"There are only two ways to get rid of the flower buds." The woman started. "The first, is the preferred way. If the patient manages to get their crush to love them back, then the flowers will wither and die, allowing the patient to cough up the rest of the intruding disease."

"... And the other?" Sonic gulped nervously.

Rachel looked at Sonic sadly as she explained this. "The other is to have the buds surgically removed, along with any other feelings that the patient may have had with their crush."

Her answer felt like a ton of bricks had just crashed on top of Sonic.

Him? Get rid of his feelings for Shadow? It was unthinkable. He would never give up his feelings for Shadow. He shook his head, backing up more.

"No." He said. "No, I won't do that."

"H-hold on Sonic." Tails assured him. "Let's not jump onto anything yet." He turned to the Witch Doctor. "I have a question about the disease. A friend of ours, Amy Rose, has had a crush on Sonic for the longest time now, and Sonic never accepts it. How come we've never seen her cough up petals?"

"Because the Hanahaki Disease is about true love." Rachel answered.

"So what you're saying is that Amy doesn't really love me?" Sonic asked, feeling a little hurt for some reason.

"No. She does not. She loves the hero within you."

Sonic sighed and nodded. "That's what I thought." He chuckled a bit, putting a hand up to his head. "Wow… I really love him, then."

"Him?" Tails questioned curiously. "Who's him?"

Sonic shook his head and took another step back. He brought his hand up to lay it on a low shelf.

"Wait! Don't put your hand there, it's…!" Rachel tried to warn, but it was too late as the whole shelf came crashing down, a few bottles breaking over the blue hedgehog and covering him from head to toe in potions and powders. "Unstable."

"Sonic! Are you alright?!" Tails gasped as he ran up to his brother. Rachel quickly followed behind, carrying a towel which she used to gently clean her work off of the hedgehog.

"I'm… I'm fine." Sonic answered, but then gasped as he realized that his voice was not his own. It was too high and girly.

"Oh. My." Rachel said in shock as she studied Sonic. "Well, this is certainly a new discovery." She turned to the shock-stricken Tails. "Tails. In that wardrobe over there is a robe. Go grab it."

"Y-yes ma'am." Tails nodded and quickly rushed over to grab the robe.

"Rachel, what's happened to me?" Sonic asked the woman with a bit of panic in his voice.

"Now, now Sonic, don't be alarmed." She said soothingly. "My potions just so happened to somehow transform you into a female, as well as give you pink fur."

"WHAT?!" Sonic gasped. He looked down at himself, studying his body, and he screamed when he saw that he now had a female body and hot pink fur. On top of that, he was naked. He quickly covered himself, feeling embarrassed and ashamed to be exposed like this.

"Now, now don't worry Sonic. Tails is bringing a robe to cover you up right now."

At that moment, Tails came over, holding a light green robe made out of silk. "Here you go, Sonic."

"Thank you, Tails." Sonic said as he took the robe and pulled it on, trying the strings to keep himself covered. "How long will these effects last?"

"Judging by how strong those potions are, perhaps a day." Rachel explained. "Once the effects wear off, you'll go back to being a blue boy."

"Oh. Thank goodness." Sonic sighed in relief as he stood up. "Well then, Tails and I will be on our way, then. I have a crush that I need to make fall in love with me."

"But Sonic…" Tails started.

"No buts about it, Tails." Sonic frowned. "It's been years since I've felt this way towards anybody, and I'm not gonna let it slip away from me." He looked back up to Rachel. "Thank you, Rachel, for all of your help."

"Of course, Sonic. Good luck."

With that, Sonic and Tails left the Witch Doctor's home, heading back to their own.

As Rachel went back over to her cauldron, she suddenly gasped, realizing that she had forgotten to tell Sonic what will happen if he didn't get rid of the roses on time.


End file.
